piece of paper which the secretary had seen, and on which the doctor had
written, "Regulate the food for a day, and the skin will be cured by four
ounces of oil of sweet almonds or an ointment of flour of sulphur, but
this local application is hazardous."

"Never mind the danger," said I to Lawrence; "buy me the ointment, or
rather get me the sulphur, as I have some butter by me, and I can make it
up myself. Have you any matches? Give me a few."

He found some in his pockets, and he gave me them.

What a small thing brings comfort in distress! But in my place these
matches were no small thing, but rather a great treasure.

I had puzzled my head for several hours as to what substitute I could
find for tinder--the only thing I still lacked, and which I could not ask
for under any pretense whatsoever--when I remembered that I had told the
tailor to put some under the armpits of my coat to prevent the
perspiration spoiling the stuff. The coat, quite new, was before me, and
my heart began to beat, but supposing the tailor had not put it in! Thus
I hung between hope and fear. I had only to take a step to know all; but
such a step would have been decisive, and I dared not take it. At last I
drew nigh, and feeling myself unworthy of such mercies I fell on my knees
and fervently prayed of God that the tailor might not have forgotten the
tinder. After this heartfelt prayer I took my coat, unsewed it, and
found-the tinder! My joy knew no bounds. I naturally gave thanks to God,
since it was with confidence in Him that I took courage and searched my
coat, and I returned thanks to Him with all my heart.

I now had all the necessary materials, and I soon made myself a lamp. Let